Family Affairs
by Trapped in a MatchBox
Summary: The last thing Kate wants to do is attend her grandmother's 80th birthday party. But she has to.
1. Chapter 1

**Family Affairs**

"What's going on in that pretty little head of yours, Detective?"

Kate turned around startled and closed the page she had been looking at on her computer. It was a Thursday morning and they had just closed a case the day before. She was surprised to see Castle there as she had told him today would be all about paperwork and he usually ran for his life whenever that particular activity was involved. But there he was, coffee cup in hand, holding it out in her direction with a barely there smile gracing his face.

"Nothing." She shook her head, worrying her bottom lip with her teeth for a moment, before taking the cup he was offering. "Thanks. What are you doing here?" She asked and watched as he took his seat next to her desk, setting his cup on the neat surface.

"You said it was paperwork day. Thought I'd pitch in." The sparkle in his eyes made her smile and roll her eyes affectionately at him.

"You do know you can't actually help with the paperwork, right? I was just teasing you that day." She explained and bumped her knees into his playfully. "But thanks, anyway."

"I can help you sort through everything if you want. Then you can just sign it. Gates doesn't have to know." He wiggled his eyebrows at her and she chuckled, shaking her head.

"How good are you at speed reading?" She asked and took a sip of her coffee, nearly moaning at the shot of caffeine into her system. God, she loved it. Before he could answer her question, however, her phone rang and she held a finger in his direction. "Just a sec." She told him and slid the lock on it to take the call. "Hi, Dad." She sighed, knowing what this would be about.

She had gotten the invitation for her grandmother's 80th birthday a few weeks ago and her father had been badgering her for weeks that she should be the one to attend. Her grandmother had never liked him and even had had the nerve to blame him for her daughter's death. They were never exactly close and after Kate's mother was murdered, pretty much all types of communication were severed. Kate had never really been a grandma's girl growing up and her grandmother hadn't been the type to reach out either. Now they had both been invited to the big birthday bash and Kate just wanted to forget about the whole thing, but her father wouldn't let her.

Feeling Castle stand up, she reached out and touched his arm, shaking her head. She knew he would be curious about what this was about, as she nodded and assured her father that she was going and he shouldn't be worried about no one representing the family, even if she had absolutely no desire to go. Hanging up, she leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes, running a hand through her hair frustrated.

"Trouble?" He asked after a moment and she sighed, opening her eyes to meet his concerned gaze.

"It's nothing, really. My grandmother is throwing this big party for her 80th birthday and my Dad says I have to go. Represent the family." She fought the urge to roll her eyes, knowing her reaction was a tad on the childish side, but she didn't care. She had absolutely zero contact with those people. What the hell was she supposed to do there?

"Oh. And… you guys don't get along?" He asked hesitantly, as if he was still trying to make sense of her reaction.

"You can say that again." She reached for her cup of coffee and took a long, comforting sip. "She never liked my dad, so when mom married him, she basically ignored us." She explained, trying to ignore that tiny pain she used to feel when she was a kid at being rejected by her own grandmother.

"Why?" He asked curiously, leaning against the desk, knee bumping hers in the process.

"God only knows." She shrugged, rolling her eyes. "Mom used to say it was because she was prejudiced cause my dad didn't come from money, you know? It's stupid." She sighed and offered him a sad smile. "Anyway, now he refuses to go, but wants me to go torture myself with those people this weekend." She knew she was bordering on whining if the amused look in his eyes were any indication.

"You know…" He started, drinking the rest of his coffee. "I could always go with you if you want." He suggested with a lifted eyebrow and she pursed her lips for a moment, before shaking her head.

"I can't ask you to do that, Castle." She declined, but he shook his head, already opening his mouth to protest. "It's not even going to be here in New York. She lives in Atlanta." She interrupted.

"So?"

"So, I'm leaving tomorrow and only coming back on Sunday."

"That's okay. Just tell me which flight you're taking out there and I'll get my ticket." He told her matter-of-factly and she looked at him thoughtfully for a moment. "That is, if you want me to go with you. You know, to keep you company and keep the horrible relatives away." He gave her a weak grin and she bit her lip to reign in a smile.

"What about Alexis?" She countered and he dismissed her argument.

"She's a big girl and Mother will be home with her, anyway." He said and looked at her expectantly when she didn't say anything for a couple of minutes.

"8pm flight. Delta Airlines." She tried to narrow her eyes at him, but a smile escaped. If anything, he would make this godforsaken family get together a little more bearable.

"Friday, right?" He asked, his grin contagious as he flipped out his phone and called someone. She nodded and relaxed into her chair again, drinking the last of her almost cold coffee. "Which hotel are you staying in?

"Embassy Suites." She told him and watched as he relayed the information to whoever it was on the other side of the line. A few minutes later, he hung up and turned back to her with a smile.

"All done." He gave her that boyish grin that made her heart beat faster and she bit her lip in apprehension. "This is going to be fun, Kate." He reached out and touched her hand, giving it an encouraging squeeze. She looked up at him and nodded, gratefully.

She really hoped he was right.

* * *

><p>Thankfully, they hadn't caught a case in the following 24 hours, so Kate was out of the precinct by 5pm on Friday, having caught up on all the paperwork from previous cases. On her way home, she texted him to let him know she would be leaving for the airport at 6:30 at the latest. She had already packed and all she needed to do before going to the airport was take a quick shower and grab something to eat; the latter could be done at the airport, so she would take advantage of that in the shower.<p>

Although it had been a rather uneventful day, she felt tired after a grueling week of chasing dead ends on their latest case. She had also had to tackle one of their suspects during a chase and had banged her elbow on the ground pretty hard, so now it was incredibly sore (not to mention the bruise the size of China that now adorned her skin) and a sharp pain nearly took her breath away whenever she tried to lift something with her left arm. She really hoped she hadn't done too much damage to it.

After taking a relaxing shower, she quickly got dressed in more casual clothes and texted Castle again, telling him to meet her at the check in counter at La Guardia. Dragging her suitcase outside, she hailed a cab and tried to keep her nerves in check during the ride to the airport. It was dawning on her that she was taking Castle to meet her family and that they would be pretty much each other's only company for the next two days.

It wasn't like they hadn't travelled together before, she thought, biting on her fingernail. They had gone to LA last year and everything had been fine. Although she had nearly caved for a moment there, which made her slightly nervous about being alone with him again without anyone to interrupt. They didn't have anything holding them back now, except her goddamn issues. And to be honest, she didn't even think her demons were enough to keep him outside her wall.

She loved him; of that much she was certain. And she knew he loved her right back too with an intensity that sometimes scared her because it matched her feelings for him right on. What she was terrified of now that they didn't have any impediment between them was that if they did do this, if they dove right into a relationship and it didn't work out, everything would be ruined. This beautiful friendship they had managed to develop over the past four years would be destroyed and she wasn't sure she would be able to survive that. She couldn't even picture her life without him in it anymore and sometimes she was tempted to just let things stay the way they are so he would always be around.

Shaking her head, she tried to dismiss those thoughts. It wouldn't do her any good to sit here and analyze everything to death. If it was supposed to happen, it was going to happen eventually. It didn't mean it had to be this weekend. He was going as her friend, to support her and help her face her distant, obnoxious family. That was it. She should focus on that.

Paying the cab driver, she thanked him for getting her suitcase out of the trunk and made her way inside the airport, walking towards the Delta check in counter. There was already a line, but she spotted him immediately, playing with his phone. There were only three people in front of him.

"Hey." She said quietly when she reached him and he turned to her, startled, nearly dropping his phone.

"Hey, I was just texting you." He told her, a smile slowly forming on his lips. "I upgraded your seat to first class, by the way." He said quickly as they took a step forward in line and she stared at him, surprised.

"You did _what_?"

"I just thought you'd be more comfortable and that way we could go together." He admitted sheepishly, looking at her unsure. It was just like him too, pulling stunts like this without consulting her.

"Why didn't you ask me?" She sighed, knowing it wasn't even worth fighting about it.

"You would've said no, Kate. I _know _you." He rolled his eyes and she thought that he probably picked that up from her. They really were spending way too much time together.

"I'll pay you back the difference." She said grudgingly and he shook his head.

"Forget it." She opened her mouth to protest, but he silenced her with a finger on her lips. "Let me do this for you. It's no big deal." They took another step forward in line and she felt his finger leave her lips to tuck a strand of her hair behind her ear. "Come on." He offered a small smile and tugged on her arm when they were called to the check in counter.

After getting their tickets, he dragged her to a Starbucks so they could get something to eat before the flight. She was still annoyed that he had changed her ticket without asking her first, but he managed to distract her enough so that when they boarded the plane an hour later, she had nearly forgotten why she was supposed to be upset with him.

They took their seats – and she had to admit that flying first class was a hell of a lot more comfortable than flying coach – and buckled in, after Castle had put their suitcases in the overhead compartment. She took the window seat and watched as snow slowly fell from the sky. The city lights in the far distance with the white flecks crossing the dark sky made for a gorgeous picture in her mind. She felt his arm touch hers on the armrest and gave him a distracted smile before turning back to look out the window.

Soon, the pilot announced they were clear for takeoff and Kate took a deep breath. It wasn't that she was afraid of flying; she just didn't like the feeling of the plane taking off; it felt like the world was about to be shifted of its axis and it made her anxious. When they started gaining speed, she leaned back against her seat and held on tight to the armrests on her sides, eyes closed. As long as she didn't look out the window she'd be okay. Feeling the plane leaving the solid ground behind, she tried to breathe deeply in and out, hoping it would be over soon. His hand on hers startled her enough to open her eyes and turn to look at him.

"You okay?" He asked quietly and she nodded turning her palm up. He took that as an invitation and threaded his fingers through hers, giving it a comforting squeeze. When the plane finally gained enough altitude, the feeling that she was about to throw up and pass out at the same time slowly started to disappear.

"Sorry." She muttered, trying to disentangle their hands, but he held onto it.

"I didn't know you were afraid of flying." He commented, surprise in his voice. She shook her head and looked out the window for a moment, before turning back to him.

"I'm not, really. I just don't like the takeoff. It makes me sick." She looked away embarrassed and felt him tugging on her hand, surprised when he pressed his lips to her skin.

"Okay now?" He asked quietly and she nodded, biting her lip, still at a loss at his sudden bold attitude towards her. "You should've told me." She shook her head and squeezed his hand.

"I'm fine, Castle, don't worry." She reassured him, but he still didn't let go of her hand. She decided it was a lost case when his thumb started to gently brush over her skin. The caress made her relax and she yawned after a few minutes in silence. "Do you mind if I take a nap?" She asked him and he shook his head, letting go of her hand to open his bag. Taking out a book, he opened it and soon enveloped her hand in his again, his fingers entwined with hers. She let it be and closed her eyes.

The next thing she knew, Castle was touching her cheek gently, calling her name.

"What? What is it?" She asked sleepily and he smiled at her.

"We're here." He said and squeezed her hand and she looked around, surprised that people were already getting their things and getting ready to leave.

"Wow, already?" She blinked a few times, trying to get rid of any remnants of sleep. "Guess I was really tired." She mused and stood up, stretching while Castle grabbed their suitcases. "Sorry I fell asleep on you the whole way here." She nudged his side, but he just shook his head.

"Don't worry about it. Come on." He said as the flight attendants opened the door and started letting passengers out. Once they were out of the plane and in the tunnel that would lead them to the airport, she felt him take hold of her hand again. She looked at him questioningly, but he just kept looking straight ahead, a small smile playing on his lips.

Shaking her head, she decided to just go with it and let him guide her to a dealership where they could rent a car for the weekend. Castle picked a Mercedes, which made her roll her eyes and chastise him for spending unnecessary money on this, but he just ignored her complaints and accepted the keys from the clerk.

Twenty minutes later, they were checking into the hotel and when Kate gave her name to the receptionist, he looked at her apologetically and told her that there must have been a mistake because her reservation never made it into the system.

"What do you mean, never made it into the system? I booked this room a week ago." She exclaimed and the young man nodded and checked the computer one more time.

"I'm sorry, ma'am, but there's really no record of that reservation. We can find you another room, but I'm afraid there are no standard rooms available anymore. Only executives."

"That's fine. Just find me a room."

"They're an extra eighty dollars a night, ma'am." The young man supplied and Kate sighed, frustrated.

"Kate, why don't you stay with me? I've got an executive room and I'm sure there's plenty of space for both of us." Castle suggested, touching her arm. She looked at his hand on her skin and then up at him, trying to decide if this was a wise idea, sharing a room with a guy she clearly had feelings for.

"Okay, fine." She agreed and sagged against his side for a moment, only realizing what she had just done a minute later. She tried to straighten up, but he touched the small of her back, his hand slowly making its way to her hip to keep her where she was. She looked at him again, but he only shrugged and turned to the receptionist to give him his information.

Soon they were led to their room and Castle tipped the bellboy, before closing the door behind him. Kate looked around and sighed in relief when she saw there were two double beds in the room, so things wouldn't get awkward. Placing her suitcase next to her bed, she sat down on it and took off her shoes.

"So… do you want to go do something or stay in?" He asked, flopping down on his bed. She turned around and smiled at the sight of him splayed in bed with his eyes closed.

"Do you mind if we stay in? It's just too cold outside and we're going to have a long day tomorrow." She looked at him apologetically and he nodded.

"Absolutely. Maybe we can watch a movie?"

"Sure. Let me just change out of these clothes. You can go ahead and pick one." She told him with a small smile and headed for the bathroom after getting her pajamas and toiletries.

Maybe this thing wouldn't be so bad after all, she thought to herself.

* * *

><p>Changing into plaid blue pajama pants and an old t-shirt after removing her makeup, she stepped out of the bathroom and smiled at the sight in front of her. He was lying on his stomach, fast asleep. Deciding to let him be, she put her clothes away and thought she could order something decent to eat when her stomach protested.<p>

"Castle," She touched his shoulder and shook him gently, thinking he was probably hungry too. He opened his eyes and it took him a moment to focus on her. "Hey, I'm ordering dinner. You hungry?" She asked quietly, absentmindedly brushing his hair away from his eyes.

"Yeah. Whatever you're having." He sat up and she nodded, sitting down next to him to call room service.

While she ordered lasagna, he touched her thigh to catch her attention and pointed to the bathroom door. She nodded again and he squeezed her thigh gently before getting up to go change. She bit her lip and tried to focus on what the young woman was telling her, but the only thing she got from their conversation was that her order would be up in twenty minutes. Kate hung up and moved to her bed. Relaxing against the pillows she propped up against the headboard, she turned the TV on and started watching the news.

It wasn't long until he was back in the room in sweats and a white t-shirt that showed off his chest and arms quite nicely. She took a deep breath and looked away, focusing on the TV again.

"What do you feel like watching?" He asked, stretching his body, which made his shirt ride up and a patch of skin with dark hair that disappeared into his sweatpants made an appearance.

"I'm not picky. Just… nothing that requires too much thinking." She told him and watched while he looked through the pay-per-view list of movies. When he finally picked one and set it to start, there was a knock on the door. He made to get up, but she stopped him with a hand on his arm. "I'll get it." She reached for her wallet to grab the kid's tip and opened the door. A young man rolled in their dinner and she paid him, wishing him goodnight. "Hope lasagna is okay." She said, moving to check their dishes, her stomach growling.

"Just fine." He nodded and got up, pouring the wine in two glasses before taking his plate. Kate got hers and the glass and went back to bed, setting the glass on her nightstand.

"Why don't you sit here?" She offered. "It's a big bed and it's closer to the TV." She justified, feeling a little shy all of a sudden. He grinned at her and she bit her lip, but scooted over to make room for him. When he got comfortable, he pressed play and they dove into their dinner, realizing just how hungry they were. Kate could feel his thigh flush against hers (the bed wasn't _that_ big) and his warmth soothed and excited her at the same time. "The Holiday, Castle? Really?" She teased and turned to him with a smirk.

"What? It's a nice movie. And you said you didn't want anything you had to think too much. This is perfect." He defended himself and she laughed, shaking her head.

"You are such a girl." She nudged his side playfully and he kicked her foot gently.

"Be nice. I'm letting you stay with me, remember?" He grinned at her and she rolled her eyes.

"Oh, shut up and watch the movie."

They finished their dinner and Kate got up to take their plates to the cart, taking it outside for someone to come pick it up. When she got back into the room, Castle had pulled out the covers and slipped under them, his back against the headboard. She hesitated for a second before deciding that it didn't have to mean anything. Slipping back underneath the covers, she soon relaxed into the pillow behind her back, their thighs and arms touching. The warmth emanating from his body made her slowly lean into his side, seeking contact and comfort.

They sipped their wine and discussed some points of the movie, but the room was mostly silent except for the glow of the television and the sound coming from it. Halfway through it, she felt him move his arm and slowly wrap it around her shoulders in the most cliché of moves.

"Very smooth, Castle." She chuckled and nudged his foot with hers. He grinned at her and ran his fingers up and down her arm lazily, making her progressively drowsier as her eyes slowly lost the battle with sleep.

When she opened them again, the room was illuminated by the glow of the TV, but the movie was over. She was lying on her side and something warm was weighing down on her waist. Trying to turn around, she got a glimpse of Castle's sleeping features, his hair falling on his eyes, making him look a lot younger. She turned the TV off and debated with herself whether she should wake him up or not, but in the end sleep won and she relaxed into his arms again, covering his hand with hers. He instinctively tightened his hold on her and she sighed, closing her eyes again.

She could worry about the consequences in the morning.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Thoughts?**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: You guys are all amazing as usual. Thank you so much for the awesome feedback. This story should be only 4-5 chapters long at most, but it was an idea I just couldn't get over until I got it down on paper. Hope you like it!**

**Disclaimer: Castle is not mine.**

* * *

><p><strong>Family Affairs<strong>

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 2<strong>

Morning filtered in through the window when Kate opened her eyes. The sun was shining outside, but she doubted it felt as warm as it looked in a January morning in Atlanta. Although it was not as freezing as it had been back in New York, she knew it could get pretty chilly there during the winter. She watched the few dust specks floating in the light shining into the room for a moment, before her brain registered that she was alone in her bed. The comforting weight of Castle's arm was no longer resting on her waist as it had been the last time she had woken up and she suddenly felt cold without his warmth enveloping her.

That was when the door to the bathroom flew open and she watched as he reentered the room with his phone sandwiched between his right ear and shoulder. He seemed to be talking to Alexis and the tender look on his face made her smile. Stretching her body lazily, she pulled the covers tighter around herself, trying to retain the remaining warmth under it.

"Yeah, I'll call you later, pumpkin. Be careful today, alright? Okay, love you too, sweetie. Bye." He hung up and seemed to realize she was awake. "Hey, sleeping beauty." He teased and she rolled her eyes, offering him a sleepy smile nonetheless.

"Morning." She croaked out and tried to rub the sleep out of her eyes. "What time is it?"

"A little after 7. Alexis just wanted to check in before leaving for school." He explained and she nodded, closing her eyes again. Feeling the bed dip under his weight suddenly, she turned her head to look at him sitting on the edge of the mattress. "You going to sleep some more?" He asked, touching her ankle and she nodded again.

"If you don't mind. Way too early." She turned around and propped her head on her hand to look at him. "You?"

"I guess." He shrugged and seemed to be having an internal debate with himself, his fingers tracing circles on her covered ankle absentmindedly. She smiled, amused, at his inner struggle and held up the end of the blanket for him, lifting an eyebrow in his direction. They had already spent the night in the same bed; what were a couple of extra hours going to hurt, right? And if she was honest with herself, she was enjoying this. Now that he had touched her, she craved more. "You sure?" He asked uncertain and she sighed.

"Might as well finish your assignment as a human heating pad, Castle." She grinned weakly at him and the happy, surprised smile that blossomed on his lips made her heart skip a beat. "Come on." She threw the end of the blanket in his direction and shook her head, amused, when he immediately sprung to action, slipping under the covers next to her. She felt him moving around, trying to get comfortable. "Jesus, Castle. Your feet are freezing." She complained when his foot touched hers. He nudged her feet apart and slipped his cold one between them.

"They'll be warm in a minute." He whispered in her ear and she felt him gently touch her hip with his hand, hesitant as to what was appropriate or not now that it was morning and they were both aware of what was going on. "This okay?" He asked quietly and she yawned, moving closer until her back touched his chest slightly and she was once again surrounded by his warmth.

"I don't remember you asking for my permission last night." She teased and felt him freeze for a moment. Turning her head to meet his eyes, she gave him a small smile to reassure him. "Hey, I wouldn't have invited you back in here if it wasn't." She admitted in a quiet voice and turned her back to him again. This time, when she felt his hand on her hip again, he seemed to be a little more confident, sliding his arm around her and pulling her back against his chest gently.

"Do we have any plans for today? Besides the party, I mean." His breath was hot against her neck and she had to try really hard to suppress a shiver at his lips being so close to her skin. He seemed to have settled on her pillow, his nose gently nuzzling against the back of her neck.

"Not really. You ever been here before?" She asked, debating with herself if she should touch his hand that was currently resting on her stomach. It was weird; she kept expecting this to become awkward, but strangely enough, she felt comfortable lying in his arms like this, like it was something that they had always been gravitating to, something normal.

"Yeah, but just for a couple of days during a book tour. Never really got around to see much of the city."

A yawn escaped his lips and she felt one taking over her as well. Covering his hand with hers, she hesitated for a moment before threading her fingers through his. The smile she felt forming on his lips against the back of her neck only encouraged her.

She could do this. _They_ could do this.

"We can play tourists later, then, if you want. We don't really have anywhere we have to be until 8." She told him and brushed her thumb over his skin and felt him tighten his hold on her. "How's that?"

"Sounds great." He agreed and she felt him breathing her in. "Sleep now?" She chuckled at his sleepy voice and nodded. "Okay. Night, Kate."

"Night." She yawned again and moved even closer to him until her back was flush against his chest. Letting out a sigh, she closed her eyes and slowly started to relax, hoping this wouldn't ruin everything for them.

* * *

><p>By 2pm, they were walking downtown, trying to find a good place to eat. They had been out since 10 and Kate had taken him to a few places she remembered going with her mom when she was a kid. Up until age 12, they had come to Atlanta once a year during the summer to visit her grandmother. Those visits were usually tense and uncomfortable and her mom always tried to make things fun for her so they had a few places that were obligatory during their brief stay in Atlanta every year. During her twelfth summer, however, something happened between her mother and grandmother and they returned only a couple of times since then. Her mom had never told her what had really happened that day, but Kate figured they had most likely had a really big fight, for their yearly visits were suddenly cut short.<p>

She explained all of that to Castle, as much as she could. A lot of her mother's relationship with her own mother was still a mystery to Kate, even now, all these years later. In a way, she wished she could have known what it was like to have a loving grandmother, but she had never gotten a chance. Her dad's mother died when she was a baby and she obviously didn't remember her.

"At least, I had my grandpa for a while, you know?" She told him as they walked through a busy street in downtown Atlanta.

"The magician?" He asked, taking her hand in his, tugging on it so they could cross the street.

He had been doing this on and off since they'd woken up for the second time this morning. They hadn't talked about it or made a big deal out of the fact they had spent the night in each other's arms, for which she was thankful. She didn't want this to be a big thing; in fact, she was more than okay with this natural progression that they had going on. She knew they would have to talk things through eventually, but for now she just wanted to enjoy this – his company, his touch; she could worry about the big conversations later.

"Yeah. My dad's dad." She gave him a small smile, a clear memory of her grandfather suddenly coming to mind, almost overwhelming in its intensity. "You know, if I close my eyes I can almost sense the way he used to smell. He was such a great guy. Taught me lots of tricks."

"I'm glad you had him, at least. I've always only had my mom and a distant uncle. But he died years ago, when I was in college, I think." He told her, entwining their fingers with a small smile. "Don't know anything about my father, so it's always been just us."

"Don't you…" She hesitated and bit her lip, but he squeezed her hand, encouraging her to continue. "Don't you think about finding out who he is?" She asked timidly, unsure if she was invading his privacy too much. He just shrugged.

"Sometimes." He admitted as they crossed another street. "For Alexis' sake, you know? So she knows where she came from. But then sometimes I think I'm better off not knowing."

"Has she asked about him? Alexis?" She asked quietly and he nodded. "What'd you say?"

"I told her once that not knowing was better. That he could be anything I wanted him to be. But sometimes I wish I knew at least his name." He gave her a sad smile and she squeezed his hand, trying to give him any sort of comfort. She couldn't even imagine what it was like to not know your origins, where half your DNA came from. Even though she had lost her mother in a very tragic, brutal way, she was immensely grateful for having nineteen wonderful years with both her parents. "But I guess that's life, right? Nothing is ever perfect." He said after a moment, but before she could think of anything to say, someone bumped into her, making her lose her balance. If it wasn't for Castle's quick reflex of catching her around the waist, she would've fallen on her face in the middle of the sidewalk.

Turning around to apologize and see if the other person had gotten hurt, she was surprised to find herself staring into her Aunt Lizzie's wide eyes. The woman was looking at her as if she was seeing a ghost and it took Kate a moment to place a name to the face. Her Aunt had certainly changed in the past thirteen years, but her eyes remained the same. They were the exact same shade her mother's had been, but her brown hair was now a vivid red that contrasted starkly with her tanned skin.

"Oh, my goodness. Katie?" Aunt Lizzie asked, eyes still wide in shock. "Is that you, darling?"

"Hi, Aunt Lizzie." She replied with a tight smile and turned to meet Castle's eyes for a moment. He was watching the scene curiously.

"Oh, Katie, look at you. You're the spitting image of your mother. I thought I was seeing a ghost for a moment." She smiled brightly at Kate, who tried to think of what to say.

Even though her Aunt Lizzie had never treated her badly, she had always sided with her grandmother and had completely abandoned them once her mother was gone. As her only Aunt, Kate thought she should have at least showed some support to her young niece after her sister died, but she had fallen off the face of the Earth. Last she heard, she had been busy spending the family's money in plastic surgery and travelling around the world.

"You look good." She offered and Lizzie's smile widened. "How's everyone?" She asked politely, squeezing Castle's hand, and hoped they could get out of this soon.

"Everyone's great, darling. They'll be so happy to see you. You're so grown up, so gorgeous." She winked at her and reached out to touch her hair. Kate felt the urge to roll her eyes. She knew was just being bitter and spiteful, but those people hadn't even picked up the phone to call her in years. They'd be happy, her ass. "And who's this?" Lizzie asked, almost leering at Castle, which just made Kate dislike her even more.

"This is Rick Castle, my partner." She squeezed Castle's fingers again and looked at him questioningly when he let go of her hand, sighing in relief when she felt his arm encircle her waist. "Rick, this is my mom's sister, Elizabeth Black."

"Nice to meet you, Mrs. Black." He offered a hand for her to shake, which she did enthusiastically.

"Darling, the pleasure is all mine." She grinned at him meaningfully and Kate closed her eyes for a moment, taking a deep, calming breath and covered the hand that was resting on her hip with her own.

"Well, it's been great seeing you again, Aunt Lizzie. We'll see you tonight at the party." She said, tightening her hold on his hand to keep him from saying anything that might somehow extend this already awkward conversation.

"See you then, Katie. And what a great taste you have." She leaned in and kissed Kate's cheek, her perfume making her want to sneeze. "I'll tell mom I ran into you. She'll be thrilled that you came to her party. Rick, looking forward to seeing you tonight, darling."

When she finally left, Kate let out a breath she hadn't been aware she had been holding and sagged against his side. God, she had really hoped she could keep her interaction with the family to a minimum and during the party only. Her Aunt Lizzie always left her with a feeling of falsehood, of completely fake emotions and relationships.

"Well… that was awkward." He commented casually after a moment, arm still holding her tightly by the waist.

"God, I'm sorry about that." Kate covered her face with her hands and sighed, frustrated.

"Don't worry about it. You okay?" He turned her around to face him and pulled her hands from her face. She nodded and, without thinking, rested her forehead on his shoulder, trying to pull herself together. "So, is that your only Aunt?"

"Thank God." She groaned and felt him chuckle, his arms encircling her waist tentatively again. "It was just my mom and her. Complete opposites as you could see."

"Yeah, she was… something, alright." He offered and she hit his chest lightly. "Was it just me or did she look like she was about to eat me if she had the chance?" He said lightly and she pulled back, but didn't go far, restrained by his arms around her.

"She's always been like that. Chasing after men. Especially younger men." She closed her eyes and shook her head, trying to dismiss the image of her Aunt trying to flirt with Castle. "God, that was mortifying." She mumbled and felt him press a kiss to her forehead.

"Come on, let's go get something to eat." He tugged on her waist and they started making their way down the sidewalk again. "Are all of them like that?" He asked curiously after a minute.

"Some more than others, but yeah. My Dad owes me big time." She vowed to herself and heard him chuckling.

"Well, there was a positive side to this whole thing." He mused and she turned to him, curious.

"What?"

"Seeing you get all territorial. That was pretty great." He grinned at her and Kate rolled her eyes, feeling heat creeping up her neck, and elbowed his side. "Ow!"

"Shut up." She grumbled and took his hand. "Let's go eat already."

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><p><strong>AN: Thoughts?**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: You guys are unbelievable. I'm a little overwhelmed by the amazing response to this story. Thank you so, so much. Really. **

**Hope you like this one as well. If you want an idea of what Kate's dress looks like, go here: http:/ edressme. com/*12835 .html**

**Disclaimer: Castle is not mine.**

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><p><strong>Family Affairs<strong>

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><p><strong>Chapter 3<strong>

Kate stepped out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped up around her head. It was a little past 7 and they had gotten back to the hotel about an hour before. After the impromptu, awkward meeting with her Aunt Lizzie, Castle had taken upon himself the mission to distract her from the prospect of meeting more family members that she had absolutely no desire to spend any time with, and had dragged her to all the tourist spots in Atlanta he could think of – after checking on Google, of course. Now she felt tired from walking around town all day, but it had been strangely refreshing visiting all those places she used to go with her mom when she was a kid with Castle. The zoo had been particularly fun as that was where Castle had really let his inner child shine through. She had a picture of him and a panda now that had immediately become his new caller id photo on her phone.

He was now sprawled on her bed, surfing the hundreds of channels on TV, and turned to the sound when she opened the bathroom door and stepped out.

"Hey, can you give me a hand here?" She asked, holding on to the two straps of her sapphire blue dress that needed to be tied in a knot on her back. Turning around, she hid the pleased smirk at the dazed look on his face. "Castle." She called, amused, when he didn't do anything but stare at her for an entire minute.

"Right, yeah. Of course." He stumbled on his words and Kate couldn't contain a quiet chuckle. He touched her back, his hand covering her bare skin, effectively shutting her up and causing a shiver to run through her body, all the way down to her toes. "You look absolutely breathtaking." He whispered in her ear and placed a chaste kiss on her shoulder.

Kate had to close her eyes for a moment and focus on her breathing to calm her erratic heart down. They had been doing this dance all day long and he had gotten progressively bolder as the day turned into night. Now that he was tying her dress, she was having trouble keeping the fantasy of him doing the exact opposite out of her mind.

"Thanks." She murmured when he finished and turned her around to face him. His eyes travelled all over her body and he smiled when their eyes met. "Even though I'm not even close to ready yet." She continued, pulling the towel from her head, allowing her hair to fall over her shoulders.

"Well, you're always gorgeous, Kate." He leaned in and nuzzled her neck before placing a kiss on her skin, clearly enjoying the shiver than ran through her. "Can I go take a shower or do you still need the bathroom?"

"Go ahead. I can do the rest out here." She answered a little breathlessly and wanted to kiss and slap that smirk right off his face at the same time. He nodded, looking quite pleased with himself and headed towards the bathroom, closing the door behind him. Once Kate heard the click of the door locking, she sat down on her bed and took a deep breath, head in her hands.

She had a feeling he was going to drive her crazy tonight.

* * *

><p>Her grandmother's house was packed. After Castle parked the car about half a block from the Victorian manor, they walked the rest of the way, following the flow of people going into the illuminated front yard. Kate held onto his hand tightly after he offered it and took a deep breath when she crossed into the beautifully decorated yard. Looking around, she recognized a few distant cousins that she remembered playing with when she was a kid, but decided to keep a low profile for now.<p>

Walking up the steps to the porch, she had a déjà vu feeling when she entered the house and it almost felt like she was twelve again and she was holding her mother's hand in that hot summer night when they had come for her grandmother's annual summer dinner party. It had been the last summer they had spent here and something had happened that night because they had left the following day with a very angry Johanna Beckett.

Castle tugged on her hand so they could make their way to one of the tables on the far side of the living room turned into ballroom. Kate kept looking around, each corner of that place triggering childhood memories as she easily got lost in her own thoughts. When he touched her arm gently, she jumped startled and turned to look at him.

"Okay?" He asked quietly, hand on the small of her back as he pulled the chair out for her to sit.

"Yeah, just…" She let out a breath while he sat down next to her, pushing his chair close to hers so that their knees bumped. "Memories, you know? The last I was here was the summer after I graduated high school for Aunt Lizzie's big birthday bash." She leaned back into the chair and willed herself to relax. Castle was there with her, her partner and best friend, and she knew she could get through tonight if he was by her side. A waiter soon showed up at their table and Castle took two flutes of champagne, offering one to her. "Thanks."

"To making new memories, then." He gave her a small grin and clinked his flute with hers, being rewarded with a smile.

* * *

><p>Dinner started being served a few minutes after they had gotten there. Although Kate still had more than a few knots currently weighing in her stomach, she accepted the serving of pasta and ate some of it to try and settle her nerves. In a way, she felt relieved and disappointed at the same time that people either had not noticed her or that maybe they just didn't seem to remember her as well as she remembered most of the family members currently sitting around the small round tables scattered around the ballroom. But then again, the last time she had been here, she was a tall, gangly teenager who liked heavy metal rock and wore black a lot. No wonder they didn't recognize her.<p>

"See your grandmother yet?" Castle's voice pulled her out of her thoughts and she turned to look at him and then surveyed the room in search of the Black matriarch.

"I don't see her anywhere, but I'm not exactly surprised. She likes to make an entrance." She shrugged and tried to eat a little bit more of the pasta in front of her. Looking at his plate, she realized he had already finished, which meant she had probably been staring off into space for longer than she thought she had been. "Hey," She reached out and touched his hand that was currently resting on the table to catch his attention. "Thanks for coming with me tonight. I'm not sure I've said it or not." She offered a small smile and felt the knot in her stomach start to loosen a little when he turned his palm up and threaded his fingers through hers.

"No place I'd rather be, Kate." He said earnestly and she nodded, giving his hand a gentle squeeze. "Besides, meeting this whole new side of your family that I had never even dreamed about? _Awesome_." He grinned at her with that mischievous boyish look and she rolled her eyes, amused all the same.

"A lot of material for future characters, I imagine." She said dryly, but he just nodded enthusiastically. "Castle, I swear to god, if you give Nikki a crazy, obnoxious family like this one…" she started, but he disarmed her by bringing her hand to his lips and pressing a kiss to her skin.

"Scout's honor." He told her and she tried to glare at him, but it probably came off somewhere between amused tenderness and an I'm in love with you look. She was having a pretty hard time schooling her features now that they had just sort of glazed over this invisible line between them.

"Oh, look, darling, you're in Katie's table. Let's hope she'll excuse you being so late." A clipped voice with a touch of southern accent to it reached their ears and Kate turned around when she heard her name. To her dismay, it was her Aunt Lizzie. "Katie, Rick." The redheaded woman nodded at them with a smile, her eyes lingering on Rick's fitted dark gray suit. Kate took a deep calming breath, trying to control the urge to stake her claim on him so her Aunt would back the hell off.

"Hi, Aunt Lizzie. Good to see you again." She offered a tight lipped smile and felt Castle run his thumb soothingly over the back of her hand.

"You too, darling. You look absolutely stunning in that dress." The woman complimented her and Kate nodded, thanking her and offering a compliment in return. "I hope you don't mind Charlotte and her boyfriend here sitting with you. You remember her, don't you?" She gestured to a young woman, who looked like she wanted to be anywhere but there. Her dark blonde hair and hazel eyes were hard to place at first, but then she remembered.

"Charlie, of course. Hi." Kate smiled at the girl and Charlotte offered a small grin and a wave before sitting down, followed by a young man that kind of reminded her of a younger Esposito.

"Charlotte, this is your cousin Katie Beckett, I'm sure you remember her." Aunt Lizzie introduced her and then turned to Rick. "And this is Rick Castle." She said with a pleased smile, touching his shoulder. Kate started counting to ten in her head in order to avoid making a scene, noticing her Aunt had conveniently neglected to mention that Castle was her partner.

"Kind of. I guess I was really little last time you were here." The girl said timidly and Kate nodded. She was having a hard time placing the two images she had of her cousin. The last time she had seen Charlie the girl had been no older than six years old, if that.

"Yeah, you were a little kid last time I saw you. Don't worry, Aunt Lizzie, we'll be fine." Kate turned to her Aunt with a forced smile and sighed inwardly in relief when the woman walked away.

"Gosh, I'm so sorry about that, Katie." Her cousin immediately said after her mother sauntered away. "She gets out of control sometimes." Charlie bit her lip, staring after her mother and then turned back to them. "Is it okay if we sit here? I mean…"

"Of course it is, Charlie. Don't be silly." Kate reassured the girl and smiled at Castle in thanks when he signaled a waiter to come to their table to refresh their drinks. She liked this grown up version of her little cousin already. "You're so grown up." She mused with a smile and Charlie chuckled, nodding. "How old are you now?"

"Turning 21 next week." She said with a bright smile. "This is Jake Garcia, by the way." She introduced her boyfriend and Kate and Rick both smiled at him. "Jake, this is my cousin Katie Beckett and… Rick Castle, right?" She turned to Rick, who nodded.

"Nice to meet you, Jake." He said offering a hand to the young man, who had yet to start relaxing. He took his hand and nodded, looking at Castle a little nervously. Kate watched the interaction curiously and wondered if the boy was a fan.

"You too, Mr. Castle, Miss Beckett."

"Oh, quit the formalities, man. You're just making me feel old." Rick said and Kate nudged his side affectionately.

"You are old." She teased and he tried to glare at her, failing miserably, which just made her smile grow. He put his arm around her chair and she leaned back into him without thinking. "So what have you been up to, Charlie?" Kate asked, taking a sip of her champagne. "Can I still call you Charlie?" she added, after realizing that that was how she called her cousin when she was five years old.

"Yeah, sure. Everybody does." The girl smiled and took a sip of her drink as well. "I'm a junior in college. NYU."

"Really? That's awesome. I went to NYU. You did too, right, Castle?" She turned to him, realizing belatedly that their lips were dangerously close. He nodded and she felt the air rush out of her lungs for a moment, but he just ran his fingers down her arm and turned back to the young couple. Kate took a deep, steadying breath before doing the same. "What's your major?"

"English. We're both English majors, actually." She gestured between her and Jake. "But he wants to be a writer."

"Really?" Kate said slowly and turned to her partner with a smirk. "Castle here happens to be a writer."

"Oh… wait." Charlie started, but suddenly turned to her boyfriend. "Jake, isn't he…"

"I know who you are, Mr. Castle. I love your books." The boy stuttered out and Kate had to hide a smile at how adorable he looked all flustered.

"There he goes with this Mr. Castle thing again." Rick teased, but smiled warmly at him. "But thank you, Jake. I appreciate it. What do you like to write about?"

"I knew his name sounded familiar." Charlie told Kate while their boys started up conversation. "So wait, are you _the_ Nikki Heat I keep hearing so much about?" She asked curiously and Kate nodded. "That's really cool." She bit her lip and leaned closer to Kate. "So are you and him…?" Charlie trailed off and she sighed.

"It's complicated. I don't know." Kate answered quietly and felt him squeeze her shoulder for a moment, without faltering in his animated conversation with Jake. "I can't believe you've been in New York for years and I didn't know." She commented and Charlie nodded, not questioning Kate's sudden change of subject.

"I know, right? We should definitely catch up sometime, Katie." The girl suggested with a smile but then bit her lip, seemingly unsure after realizing what she had said. "I mean, if you want to, that is."

"Of course, Charlie. I don't usually come out here and it's been just me and my dad for so long now. It's good to have someone else in the family that is not so…" She trailed off, trying to think of a word that wouldn't offend her cousin.

"Caught up in this ridiculous, pompous world everyone here seems to live in? Trust me, I'm so glad you're not like them." She reached out and touched Kate's hand affectionately and Kate suddenly had a clear memory of 5-year-old Charlie holding onto her hand while they played in the backyard. She had been seventeen.

"Well, I'm glad we found each other again, little cousin." Kate grinned at her and let out a breath. She had been starved for family affection for so long that it was refreshing to connect with her young cousin like this; finding out she wasn't the only one who despised this family way of living. "And you know, the way these two hit it off…" she pointed at Castle and Jake with her thumb, both completely engaged in a deep discussion about how to plot a murder. If she didn't know it was all fiction, she would be deeply creeped out. Charlie laughed and nodded. She was about to respond when she saw the girl freeze, looking behind her. "What is it?" She asked, following the girl's gaze and felt herself deflate a little when she found her grandmother at the top of the stairs. It was funny (and tragic) how her grandmother had the ability to do that.

"The Black Widow has finally arrived." She heard Charlie mutter under her breath and had to stifle a laugh. The matriarch was like an older version of her mother and Kate took a deep breath when she started coming down the stairs.

"That her?" Rick's voice was close and she could feel his breath on her skin as he took her hand in his under the table.

"Yup." She said, making a popping sound. "Jacqueline Black."

* * *

><p>Her grandmother surveyed the room as she came down the stairs, her eyes falling momentarily on Kate's table. She saw Jacqueline's eye twitch for half a second when she recognized her oldest granddaughter, seemingly taking in the striking resemblance between her and Johanna. But that was it. After that, she thanked everyone for coming and disappeared into the crowd after the dance floor opened and music started playing.<p>

"Well, that was a bit anti-climactic." Kate heard Castle whisper in her ear in a teasing voice and elbowed his side, an involuntary grin on her lips.

"Thank god." She whispered back and took a sip of her drink, leaning back into his side. Adrenaline had coursed through her veins when she had seen her grandmother and now that the matriarch of the Black family didn't seem to pay much attention to her, she felt like she had almost run a marathon, the way her energy left her.

"See, that wasn't so bad, was it?" She felt him running his fingertips on her arm soothingly and then the pressure of his lips to her temple.

"Oh, I'm sure she'll somehow find me later. There's no way she's going to let me leave this party without imparting her wisdom on me. On us." She nodded at Charlie, who had the same relieved look on her face that Jacqueline had left them alone for now.

"She's got that right. There's no way the Black Widow will let us leave unscathed." Charlie agreed and Kate watched as Jake and Castle exchanged curious looks.

"The Black Widow? Where did that come from, anyway?" Kate chuckled and Charlie rolled her eyes with a laugh.

"When I was in high school, my friends were terrified of her and it was around the time husband number three died. So, you know… it's catchy." She shrugged and Kate laughed wholeheartedly.

"That's so awesome." She said with an amused grin. "It suits her." She said quietly and Charlie laughed.

"Oh, Katie, I like you." The girl smiled brightly at her and Kate felt a wave of affection run through her. Finally, _finally_ she had found someone in this godforsaken family who was a kindred spirit. "Hey, you guys want to go dance? She'll leave us alone if we're on the dance floor."

"Sure. Castle?" She turned to her partner and found him already standing up. He offered her a hand with a grin and she took it immediately.

"Lead the way, Detective." He told her and she stood up, tugging him towards the dance floor where several guests were already dancing.

She found an empty spot in a more secluded area of the dance floor and turned around to face him. An upbeat song was playing and Kate finally spotted where it was coming from: a live band was set up in a corner of the room. Castle's hands found her hips and they started out dancing at a respectable distance from each other. Charlie and Jake were nearby and, at first, they were all having fun dancing together. As the songs played, however, she felt herself getting closer and closer to Castle until, by the sixth song, her back was flush against his chest. While they weren't doing anything inappropriate as a lot of other couples on the dance floor were, the touch of his hands on her hips, the warmth of his fingers seeping through the thin fabric of her dress were slowly building a small inferno inside her. Covering his hand with hers and threading their fingers together, she leaned her head back against his shoulder and felt him pull her even closer. She looked around and found that Charlie and Jake were quite busy making out and shook her head with a smile.

"I like them." Castle whispered in her ear and she turned her head in the direction of the sound, suddenly finding herself in a deliciously close proximity with his lips. Letting out an almost shaky breath, she licked her lips, tearing her gaze away from his mouth and meeting his eyes.

"Me too. She was so little the last time I saw her. Makes me feel kind of old." She chuckled and he turned her around, wrapping his arms around her waist, leaving no space at all between them.

"You're definitely not old, Kate." One of his hands came up and tucked a strand of her hair that had come loose behind her ear. "You're so beautiful." He whispered, his eyes travelling to her lips and back up again to meet hers.

And that was all Kate could take before finally giving in and closing the distance between them.

The moment their lips touched, she felt like a surge of electricity ran through both of them all the way down to her toes and it was such a delicious feeling that her only reaction was to pull him closer by the lapels of his shirt (his jacket was back at the table, long forgotten) and pressing her body closer to his, reveling in this feeling of finally doing this. His tongue brushed against her bottom lip and she granted him entrance immediately, the jolt of arousal when their tongues touched for the first time nearly causing her knees to fail her. She had thought that undercover kiss a year ago had been amazing, but it didn't hold a candle to what she was feeling right now. Everything she felt for him, the strength of her love, affection, gratitude, everything, came bubbling up and poured out of her lips and into their kiss and _god_, her head was spinning with the intensity of it.

They broke apart for a moment, breathless, and he quickly initiated an assault on her neck with his lips and it was all she could do to keep standing up right. Her eyes were closed and the only things she was aware of were his lips on her skin and his body warm and solid against hers. Her hands let go of his shirt and slowly made their way up his shoulders and around his neck, where she finally ran her fingers through his hair – something that she had wanted to do for years now – and felt him groan against her skin, his lips finding hers again in a deep kiss. Kate felt her toes curl and had to forcefully detach her mouth from his before she did something she would regret later (like getting rid of his clothes and taking care of business right there on the dance floor).

"You have no idea how long I've wanted to do this for." He whispered breathlessly into her ear and she felt a shiver her through her body at his hot breath teasing her skin.

"Oh, trust me, I know." She admitted with a smirk and bit her lip, still tasting him there, which made her lower abdomen tighten deliciously in a wave of lust so strong that nearly made her throw herself at him again. Bringing one of her hands to touch his cheek, while the other one remained firmly wrapped around his neck, she brushed her thumb against his lips, wiping away the lipstick she had left behind. He got a hold of her wrist and held it there, nuzzling into her hand before placing an open mouthed kiss to her pulse point. "You know, if you don't stop what you're doing right now, I won't be held responsible for my actions." She teased him and felt him smirk against her skin.

"That so?" He asked, lifting an eyebrow, arms tightening around her waist. "Am I making the serious, always controlled Detective Kate Beckett lose control?" He murmured into her skin as he pressed another open mouthed kiss to it, this time to her neck.

"Don't let it go to your head." She pinched his side to make him back off for a second and he looked at her with a wicked grin.

"Too late." He announced, stealing another deep kiss from her. "I guess coming here didn't turn out as bad as you thought it would, huh?" He whispered, his forehead on hers as they started to sway to the music again. She chuckled and ran her hand though his hair again, just because she could now.

"Guess not." She shrugged, playing with the hair at the nape of his neck. "Meeting Charlie again made it all worth it." She smirked at him and laughed when he looked at her clearly offended. "You're so easy." She said gently, the tenderness in her voice unmistakable as she pressed a kiss to the corner of his mouth. "Come on, let's go get something to drink." She pulled away from him and took his hand, lacing her fingers through his.

"So you can cool off?" The pride in his voice teased her and she rolled her eyes, turning around and catching him in a kiss that made her head spin all over again. When she pulled away, he was looking at her a little dazed and breathless.

"Who needs to cool off now, Writer Man?" She chuckled and felt him wrap his arms around her waist from behind, tugging gently on her earlobe with his teeth. "Come on." She sighed and started in the direction of the bar with Castle still wrapped around her. She didn't mind; she loved this feeling of being surrounded by him.

They made it to the bar and ordered gin and tonic. While they waited for their drinks, he leaned back against the pillar nearby and pulled her back into his arms, resting his chin on her shoulder.

"Are you sure about this?" He asked quietly and she turned her head to look at his profile, hearing the insecurity in his voice. She understood for what it was; they had been waiting for this moment for so long that now it seemed too good to be true.

"Rick," She started and turned around in his arms, reaching up to touch his cheek, smoothing the skin underneath his eye. "I don't want to waste any more time. This is it." She kissed his lips softly and smiled when his eyes sparkled with happiness.

"Yeah?" He teased the bare skin of her back and pulled her closer. She nodded and pressed another kiss to his lips, closing her eyes to allow this feeling of happiness and fulfillment at finally getting things out in the open wash over her.

"Katherine, there you are."

She heard a stern voice behind her and froze. She didn't need to turn around to know who it was; she would recognize that voice anywhere.

The Black Widow had finally found her.

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><p><strong>AN: Thoughts?**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Thank you so much for all your support, guys. Hope you like this one. I'm still debating with myself if I should add a final chapter after this or leave it as it is. You guys tell me.**

**Disclaimer: If Castle were mine, they would be making babies already.**

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><p><strong>Family Affairs<strong>

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><p><strong>Chapter 4<strong>

In the end, Kate felt that coming to Atlanta had been a good thing. As she entered their hotel room, Rick with a comforting arm around her waist, she was thankful for having a chance to… maybe not straighten things out and make amends, but to talk at the very least. Or at least she hoped she would get that chance. She would have never thought she would end her night the way it did and was so very glad for having Rick there with her. She wasn't sure she would've been able to get through this and come out in one piece if it wasn't for him.

When her grandmother approached her at the party, interrupting a very important moment between Kate and her partner, she was annoyed. Jacqueline Black had always done things her way and this was no different. When she heard her name in that unmistakable voice, Kate took a deep breath before turning around to look into her grandmother's eyes, so much like her own, and facing the woman who hadn't even bothered to pick up the phone to call her granddaughter in thirteen years. The last time Kate had seen her had been at her mother's funeral.

"Grandma. Hi." She greeted the woman in a not so friendly voice, almost mimicking the tone Jacqueline had used to greet her.

"You look well." Her grandmother seemed to be doing an appraisal of her looks as her eyes travelled from Kate's hair down to her toes, pausing briefly at Rick's hand resting on her waist.

"Thank you." Kate swallowed and fought the urge to close her eyes and hope she would disappear and end this godforsaken awkward conversation once and for all. "How are you?"

"I'm doing well, Katherine. I hear you're a police officer now." Her tone didn't reflect any pride; instead, it felt like she was ashamed that her granddaughter had chosen such profession.

"Detective, actually. I work for the NYPD." She corrected, her voice tight, the urge to flee in the opposite direction strong. It was sad how she had always gotten this feeling whenever she was in close proximity of her grandmother. The woman had never inspired any affection or love. Not towards her or her father. "This is Rick Castle." She introduced her partner, covering his hand with hers to try and draw some of his strength.

"Nice to meet you, Mrs. Black." Rick offered his hand and Jacqueline shook it firmly, giving him a nod before turning back to Kate.

"The writer who follows you around." She lifted an eyebrow and Kate nearly saw a reflection of herself in her grandmother's features. Apparently she couldn't disguise her surprise at her knowing anything about her partnership with Rick because Jacqueline continued. "I know about the books he wrote about you, Katherine. You think I don't know what's going on with my family?"

"Wouldn't surprise me, to be honest." Kate said sincerely and felt him squeeze her hip in a warning. Maybe she shouldn't be so upfront, but now that she had broken the dam it seemed impossible to stop. "I haven't heard from you since mom died. That was _thirteen years_ ago. So yes, I do think you have absolutely no idea what's been going on with me."

"Katherine," the older woman closed her eyes for a moment and let out a heavy sigh. "You have to understand that I have a busy life here." She reasoned and Kate let out a quiet, humorless laugh.

"Yeah, I bet you do." She shook her head and stepped out of Rick's arms, taking his hand in hers. "If you'll excuse us, we have to go now." She turned her back on the woman and tugged her partner by the hand.

She missed when Jacqueline lifted her hand to her head and the moment her grandmother fell to the ground. The commotion around them when people who were nearby started to rush forward in the direction of the Black Widow made her turn around, stifling a gasp when she saw her grandmother's body twitching in what looked like the world's longest seizure. She hadn't gotten far, but as she rushed back to her side, her legs felt like they were made of led as a rush of panic flooded through her veins, nearly clouding her vision in its intensity. When she reached Jacqueline's side, she found Charlie and met the girl's terrified eyes at seeing their own flesh and blood suffering.

Her clouded mind saw her own mother in her grandmother's crumpled form in the ballroom floor and, although she couldn't explain it at the time, she felt tears prickling behind her eyes, the fear she felt at that moment almost overwhelming her.

"I just called an ambulance. They're on their way."

She heard Rick's voice in her ear and turned to find him crouched down right next to her, his eyes brimming with concern. Not trusting her voice, she just nodded and turned back to her grandmother, who had finally stilled. As though it came from a great distance, she heard her Aunt Lizzie's panicked voice and looked up to see people clearing out, giving the family some space. She felt Rick's solid presence by her side and leaned against him, not able to take it anymore as her strength left her body.

The wait for the ambulance seemed endless and Kate only relaxed – albeit not very much so – when she heard the sirens approaching the house. The paramedics soon came bustling in and she felt Rick pull her up to her feet as they quickly worked on her grandmother. She tried to answer as best as she could when they fired question after question at her, but she was still baffled at what had just happened. One moment she had been fine and the next second she was on the floor having a seizure. They strapped her in and Kate swallowed hard against the knot in her throat as they wheeled her out in a gurney. Getting the address of the hospital they were taking her to, she followed Rick's lead as he guided her back to the car by the hand. She vaguely heard him asking if Charlie and Jake needed a ride and before she even registered what was going on, they were all piled up inside the Mercedes as Charlie talked Rick through the way to the hospital.

"What the hell happened back there, Katie?" She heard Charlie ask from the backseat and seemed to finally snap out of the dazed stupor she had been in until then.

"I don't know." She shook her head, discreetly brushing a tear that had started to make its way down her cheek. "She cornered me, like she always does, and we talked. It wasn't pleasant, but it was like it had always been. I got pissed off and walked away. The next thing I know, she was having a seizure."

"Sweet Jesus. I did not see that coming." Her cousin sighed and Kate turned to look at her. "I was coming to rescue you from her clutches when I saw her fall down. Is she sick, Katie? Do you know?" She asked and Kate could hear the tears in her voice. Even though they had never gotten along with Jacqueline Black, she was still their grandmother and Kate could only imagine how hard this was for Charlie, who had grown up with the woman in the same house.

"I have no idea, Charlie. Before tonight, I hadn't seen or talked to her since my mom died, which was a long time ago." She reached out and found the girl's hand in the darkness of the car. "We'll get through this, okay? Take a deep breath." She said gently and felt Rick's hand on her thigh. She looked at him and nodded with a grateful smile. He really was her rock.

After Rick parked the car, they rushed to the hospital's entrance, meeting with a nearly hysterical Aunt Lizzie. Kate approached her, quickly followed by Charlie, who threw herself into her mother's arms.

"Anything?" Kate asked after a moment, sitting down at one of the plastic chairs at the waiting room.

"They haven't told us anything. Just rushed her in and said they would let us know." Aunt Lizzie said tearfully, her mascara smudged, creating dark lines in her cheeks. "I have no idea what's going on. She looked okay just a few minutes ago. You were with her, weren't you, Katie? What happened?"

"I don't know." She swallowed hard again and accepted Rick's hand when he offered, threading her fingers through his. "We were talking and then she was having a seizure." She explained sagged against his side, letting out a breath when he kissed her temple.

Silent took over for the next forty minutes. Aunt Lizzie sat next to Charlie, who was taking comfort in Jake's embrace. The older woman seemed oddly disconnected from them and Kate felt bad for her as she sat there alone. Rick's arms were comforting and she burrowed her face into the crook of his neck for a moment, needing his warmth and strength. His hold on her tightened, his finger doing a lazy dance on her bare arm as she placed a kiss to his skin. Another few minutes passed before she stood up and made her way to the coffee machine around the corner. Slipping the money in, she filled a cup of coffee for her Aunt Lizzie, who was still feeling the effects of all the alcohol she had consumed at the party. The redhead smiled her thanks and took a sip of the hot beverage as Kate returned to her seat.

"You did good." Rick whispered in her ear as his arm fell around her shoulders again. She returned to her previous position and nuzzled his neck, placing another kiss there. "Hanging in there?"

"Yeah." She sighed and pulled away to meet his eyes. "I'm so glad you're here." She confessed and was rewarded with a small smile as he caressed her cheek and pressed his lips to hers. Her love for him wanted to slip out so much at that moment that she had to bite her lip to rein it in.

"Jacqueline Black's family?" A male voice inquired and Kate turned to the sound, standing up immediately when she saw the doctor. "Hi, I'm Dr. Stevens. Mrs. Black is stable now, but we want to keep her overnight for observation. These kinds of seizures like the one she had are very common in people with her condition unfortunately."

"Wait, her condition?" Charlie asked confused and the doctor looked at everyone bewildered. "What do you mean? What's wrong with her?"

"It's in her medical history. She has a glioblastoma multiforme in her brain, but it's inoperable." He explained and Kate felt like someone had just punched her in the stomach.

"What?" She heard her Aunt Lizzie gasp and turned around in time to see her stumble back onto a chair, faint.

"It's in her history. She found out about three months ago. I assumed you guys knew. I'm so sorry." Dr. Stevens apologized, but Kate only heard as if she was underwater and his voice was distorted.

"What… how much longer?" Charlie asked in a small voice and Kate reached out, took the girl's hand in hers. Mixed feelings were battling for dominance inside her and an overwhelming urge to cry was threatening to take over.

"Well, when she got the results, her prognosis was another six months, maybe less." He ran a hand through his hair and Kate could tell he was uncomfortable and feeling guilty for breaking the news to a family like this.

"Oh, my god." Charlie's sob rang out in the deserted waiting room as she turned around and threw herself into Jake's arms. Kate didn't know what to think, what to do or how to react.

"I'm really sorry." The doctor repeated and Kate nodded, swallowing hard, the knot in her throat making it hard for her to breathe. "She's conscious now if you want to see her. Only one at a time, though, so she won't get agitated."

Kate heard him give them directions to the room she had been taken to and Aunt Lizzie saying she wanted to see her, but she didn't pay attention as Rick's arms enveloped her and she allowed herself to sink into his embrace, her arms wrapping around his waist tightly.

Her grandmother was dying.

"Kate?" His voice whispered in her ear and she swallowed hard again, trying to take a deep breath.

"She's going to die." Her voice came out shaky when the only thing that seemed to register in her mind slipped out.

"I know, love. I'm so sorry." He murmured and rested his forehead on hers, his thumb brushing a stray tear away. The endearment registered in a distant part of her brain, but she wasn't able to focus on that right now.

Her grandmother was going to die.

"I don't…" She started, but had to take a few deep breaths before continuing. "I don't understand. Why didn't she tell anyone?"

"I guess she didn't want us to worry." Charlie told her and Kate reached for her, pulling the girl into a hug.

They may have only just reconnected, but Charlie was probably the only person who could understand the contradiction of feelings warring in her heart right now. Jacqueline Black had never been a caring person towards her granddaughters, but she was still their grandmother. She was still Kate's only link to her own mother and, even though Kate had hated her for abandoning her after her mom died, deep down she had always wanted to understand what happened and maybe reconnect with her only living grandmother.

"Oh, Katie what are we going to do?" The girl whispered, her voice muffled by Kate's shoulder, and Kate bit her lip. She didn't know. "We may have had our differences, but I don't want her to die." Kate felt another wave of tears escape her eyes silently and just held her young cousin tightly.

"We need to be strong for her now." She said quietly, pulling away to meet Charlie's eyes. "It doesn't matter what happened in the past. Not now. We're her only family and she needs us." She brushed away her tears with the back of her hand. "Do you think we can do that?" She asked and Charlie nodded, brushing away her own tears. "Are you going to go see her?"

"I don't know. Mom is probably staying with her. Guess I'll just peek in and tell her I'll come back in the morning." Charlie sniffled and accepted the glass of water Rick handed her. Kate smiled at him and accepted hers as well.

"That's a good plan. Where are you guys staying? We can give you a ride." She asked and her cousin said the name of a hotel close to the one she was staying with Rick.

She let Charlie go in and tell her mother she was leaving with Katie and they would be back in the morning. Kate stayed at the door and asked her Aunt if she needed them to bring something for her. Jacqueline was sleeping, thank god. It may have been cowardly of Kate, but she wasn't ready to face her grandmother just yet. Not when the guilt of putting her in the hospital in the first place was weighing on her. Aunt Lizzie just asked to bring her a change of clothes in the morning; she was fine for now.

They said their goodbyes and left the room. The ride to Charlie's hotel was silent and Kate only broke it when Rick parked in front of the building and she got out to give her little cousin a comforting hug.

"We're in this together, okay?" She murmured in the girl's ear and felt her nod against her shoulder as Charlie was almost as tall as Kate. She gave Jake a quick hug as well and got back in the car.

The five-minute drive to their hotel was made in silence. Rick handed the keys to the valet and took Kate's hand in his, leading her to the elevator. They didn't speak, but she couldn't bring herself to step even an inch away from him. Right now, he was her strength and she needed to feel him right next to her. They made their way to the room and he unlocked the door, guiding Kate in with a hand on the small of her back. She took her shoes off and dropped some good four inches without her heels. Once her bare feet met the floor, he pulled her into his arms and they stood there in silence for a few minutes, her head on his chest.

"Do you want to talk about it?" He whispered after a few minutes and she shook her head. "Okay, anything I can do?" He pressed his lips to her temple and she sighed.

"I don't know. I don't even know what to think right now." She shook her head and pulled away from him. "I just… I can't believe this happened. She's never been there for me, but she's my grandma, you know? I can't… I don't want her to die."

"I know, love. I know." He brushed her hair back and kissed her softly. "I'm so sorry about your grandma." She wrapped her arms around his waist and breathed him in.

"I don't know what I would've done if you weren't here." She murmured against his chest and felt him tighten his hold on her. Then she pulled away slightly. "You called me love." She said with a small, curious grin and his eyes widened. "That's the second time you do that."

"Um…" She watched as he swallowed trying to think of what to say. "It slipped out?" He said sheepishly, but it came out like a question and she lifted an eyebrow at him. "We can talk about this later, Kate. I don't…" He took a deep breath. "I mean, yes, I love you, but I didn't-" He stumbled on his words, but she silenced him with a deep kiss. When she pulled away, he saw something in her eyes that made him smile so big that she knew they were okay.

"I'm going to go take a quick shower and then we can go to bed." She told him and pressed a gentle kiss to his bottom lip. He nodded dazedly and she smiled, stealing a quick peck and then made her way to the bathroom.

After taking a quick shower, she lay down in bed and started flipping through the hundreds of channels on TV while he got ready for bed in the bathroom. She heard the shower turn off and felt her heart skip a beat. There were so many conflicting emotions running through her right now that she didn't even know which one to focus on.

_He told her he loved her._

Maybe it was a little too soon considering they had been officially together for only a few hours. But if she was honest with herself, they had been in a relationship for at least this past year; they just hadn't realized it. The only difference now was that they were aware of the other's feelings and whatever it was he saw in her eyes after he uttered those three little words reassured him enough that he didn't pressure her.

Turning off the TV, she turned on her side and closed her eyes, waiting for him to get out of the bathroom. Her mind was running at the speed of light and she doubted she would sleep anytime soon. But if he was there with her, at least she could start to try to relax. A few minutes later, she felt the bed dip under his weight and was glad that he felt comfortable enough to get in bed with her without any questions. She scooted over to make room for him and sighed when his arm came to rest on her waist, pulling her to his chest. She turned around in his arms and burrowed her face in the crook of his neck, kissing his skin.

"Do you want me to stay here?" He asked quietly and she nodded. He pushed her back for a moment to kiss her lips. "Night, Kate." She could barely see his smile in the darkness, but answered with one for own, kissing him again.

"Hey, Rick?" She whispered after a few minutes of silence. He mumbled an acknowledgment and she smiled at how sleepy he sounded. "I love you too."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Thoughts?**


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